NEWS ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITALISATION

http://www.mediasalles.it/dgt_online/index.htm

 

MORE DIGITAL SCREENINGS AT THE CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

 After the Opening Ceremony including the 3D presentation of the new Disney Picture “Up” – a world premiere - a wealth of digital screenings will take place during the 62nd Cannes Film Festival.

These are the key figures for the 2009 edition: 50 digital films including 3D, 100 digital screenings, 19 digital systems. There had been 37 digital films in 2008 and 20 in 2007.

XDC, Christie, XpanD and Doremi are the equipment suppliers whilst the French CST ensures technical supervision of the projections given during the Festival.

 

 

DUTCH INDEPENDENT CINEMAS HAVE CREATED A BUYERS’ GROUP TO GO DIGITAL

 Last February Amsterdam Booking Company B.V. (ABC), a buyers’ group representing Dutch independent cinemas, announced that they would digitalise 68 screens in 20 cinemas across The Netherlands. For this purpose they have signed an agreement with Arts Alliance Media and chosen Christie and Doremi as equipment suppliers.

Paul Visser, ABC’s managing director, said: “We see clearly what the future of cinema is going to be: digital, 3D and live events. We are proud to be the first widespread movers in the Netherlands.”

The ABC roll-out has started equipping screens for the Dutch release of Disney’s 3D film “Bolt”. Other upcoming 2009 3D movies for the ABC rollout will include “Up” (Pixar/Disney), “Ice Age 3” (Twentieth Century Fox), “Planet 51” (Sony Pictures), “Toy Story 3D” (Pixar/Disney) and “Avatar” (Twentieth Century Fox).

 

 

SPAIN: YELMO ADDS MORE DIGITAL SCREENS

 Yelmo Cines, one of Spain’s largest exhibition chains, decided last March to equip 18 new screens in 18 different sites throughout their chain with digital cinema, 3D and satellite functions.

The deal follows Arts Alliance Media installation of digital projection equipment for 5 screens at Yelmo’s Isla Azul complex in Madrid last summer.

Fernando Evole, CEO of Yelmo Cines, said: “The digital cinema trial that we have been carrying out at Isla Azul has been a great success. That’s why we are now extending the installation of digital systems for 3D at 18 of our sites.”

 

 

3D DIGITAL SCREENS ACROSS CENTRAL EUROPE FOR PALACE CINEMAS

 Palace Cinemas, the exhibition company founded in 1999 to operate cinemas in Central Europe, announced last March the addition of twelve 3D digital screens at their sites in the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary using Masterimage 3D technology in eleven cases and RealD at Palace West End in Budapest.

Projectors are supplied by Barco whilst servers by XDC.

 

 

CGR WANTS TO BUILD OUT FRANCE’S LARGEST 3D CIRCUIT

 At the end of April CGR, the third largest exhibition chain in France, and RealD announced an agreement aiming at the installation of a total of 200 3D-enabled screens in 33 locations.

 

Jocelyn Boussy, chief executive officer of CGR, the first French exhibitor to decide on the digitalisation of all their screens through a VPF agreement signed with Arts Alliance Media in 2008, has defined this move into the realm of 3D as another example of CGR’s ability to seize new opportunities in the cinema business.

 

 

CINEMA PARK IS THE LEADER IN THE RUSSIAN DIGITAL CINEMA MARKET

 According to the statistics on digital screens in Russia, showing the situation as at 19 March 2009, Cinema Park is the main player in this sector thanks to its 27 digital screens, all 3D-enabled.

The key figures for Russia, published by Nevafilm, are: 120 digital screens (out of which 117 are also equipped for 3D), installed in 97 sites in 47 different towns. The main market is Moscow, with 24 screens, followed by St Petersburg (8) and